Minot Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minot, North Dakota 58702
Tuesady, July 4, 1989 21:01 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS THE PLT TURNED ON FINAL APCH TO LND, HE HEARD A 'THUD,' THEN THE ACFT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED LEFT TURN. AFTER TURNING ABOUT 360 DEG, IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LOW, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FAILUREOF THE AIRFRAME TUBING AT THE LOWER FORWARD DOOR FRAME. THE FAILURE WAS IN THE AREA OF A CONGLOMERATE WELD WHERE THE TUBING WAS PART OF THE DOOR FRAME, FIRE WALL/ENGINE MOUNT, & RIGHT FORWARD LIFT STRUT SUPPORT. AN EXAM REVEALED THE TUBING HAD SEPARATED PRIOR TO IMPACT. APRX 3/4 OF THE FRACTURE WAS THE RESULT OF CORROSION; THE REMAINING FRACTURE WAS FROM OVERLOAD, BUT NOT DUE TO IMPACT. WITH THIS FAILURE, THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING WOULD TWIST UPWARD & THE ENGINE (WITH POWER) WOULD MOVE UP & TO THE LEFT. PIPER SERVICE BULLETING #819, SUBJECT: FUSELAGE DOOR FRAME TUBE CORROSION, DATED 2/28/86, ADDRESSED THE HAZARD OF CORROSION IN THIS AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE AIRFRAME TUBING (LONGERON) AT THE LOWER FORWARD DOOR FRAME DUE TO CORROSION. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO COMPLY WITH SERVICE BULLETIN #819.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2101
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MINOT
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58702
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MINOT INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MOT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1715
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2103 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID MDT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1715
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 4200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 825
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40323
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5295H
NTSB Number DEN89FA155
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-16
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-16
Aircraft Serial Number 16-99
Certified Max Gross Weight 1525
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 4 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 2262
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM F. MARTIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 110-2 GLACIER DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City MINOT AFB,
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58704
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S25
Departure City WATFORD CITY
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 2000
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MOT
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 7493
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --